Friday, January 20, 2012

The Gentle Giant


"The tree which moves some to tears of joy,
Is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way.
Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see
Nature at all.
But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself."


~ William Blake, 1799, The Letters


Photo taken at The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson, Nashville, Tennessee.


Click image to see the pheasant in the wood

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love this gnarled old tree...warts and all! How grand to see the pheasant in the wood!

donna baker said...

Oh the things I would do with that tree. First off, I'd search for the faeries at the bottom.

黄清华 Wong Ching Wah said...

Beautiful find !

Tweedles -- that's me said...

Dear old tree
you are so beautiful
so narled and twisted
as mother earth
molded you to be.
you stood so proud
and so strong
for many many years
and now your legacy lives on.
I love you old tree
xoxo
tweedles

Custom Comforts said...

Love that tree. The roots look like giant muscular arms being flexed. Do you know how old it is?
Cindy

MadSnapper said...

LOVE LOVE the quote and it is oh so true and the tree is fantastic..

Mel said...

I've said it before, but you have such an eye for beauty.

DJan said...

Ah, that tree and the gnarly old man who is crouched at the bottom. That's what it looks like to me. Love the poem and picture, Jo.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

See the big ol' tree
Jus' takes its time
Never have bin angry
Never bin unkind
Never bin to church
Never bin to school
Now you tell me
Jus who's a fool..

djawa said...

wow., love this picture.,

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

That tree has so many stories to tell and secrets to hold, what a treasure Jo!
Tina xo

Country Gal said...

Our old tree has a weird tumor look to it as well . Our tree must be 150 years old ! Awesome post and photo. I find trees great to photograph the weirder the better ! Have a wonderful day !

L. D. said...

It is a neat old tree.

Michelle said...

A beauty of a tree.

myomyohi said...

I love the gentle giant. It has a lot of character and individuality. Two things I love in nature.
Thanks for sharing.
Myra

George said...

This is a great portrait of the gentle giant. I like both the verse and the picture.

Tweedles -- that's me said...

I had to come visit again, cause I love this old tree.
thank you again for sharing
love
tweedles

jerilanders said...

Now there is a tree that belongs in an illustration.

Rob said...

I know a little Border Collie pup that would love the hole at the base of the tree!

Anonymous said...

I just knew our Jeri would
discover this tree-beautiful
and perhaps gift us one day with her rendition.
Thank you, Jo,for sharing
your keen sense of beauty.
find comfort and inspiration
in your daily offerings.
Gentility

Janice Kay Schaub said...

We have a lot in common. I love trees too, especially the old ones, they seem so wise somehow. That sounds silly but its how I feel. Maybe because anything that has lived so long and seen so much ??????
Janice

Terry said...

That's the kind of tree that inspires the imagination.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

William Blake knew how to turn a phrase and say something profound, no doubt about it.

Susie said...

That spot at the base of the tree, is a good place for a fairy garden. My granddaughter and I made one at her house, but the dog messed it up. we put pretty stones and a little sign Emma made that said "garden". then lined it with flowers and the stones.. Smiles, Susie

trump said...

Wow that tree has so much character! Richard

Bernideen said...

Maybe either a pheasant - or an aligator!